This is Hannibal Buress's Chicago

Comedian returns home to film Comedy Central special at the Vic

The path? Work hard, write new material, perform as many times as you can on stage in a week, get noticed and then move to the Big Apple … never looking back.

The road for Hannibal Buress—who has lived in New York for five years—follows that general direction. Until, of course, you get to that last part.

“Chicago is where I’m from,” said the 30-year-old comic while enjoying a drink at Old Town Ale House during a trip home over the holidays. “It’s where my family is. It’s where my friends are, the venues are. My whole life … this is what I love.”

And Chicago loves Buress right back. His show Saturday at the Vic Theatre, also being filmed as a one-hour special for Comedy Central, sold out in just two days. “Nonsense” is set to air March 29.

As for his life in New York, Buress performs Sundays at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory as part of a weekly comedy show that he hosts. Legends like Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. have even dropped in unannounced to perform.

Buress is a featured regular on Comedy Central’s “Broad City,” which premiered Wednesday and finds him popping up as bad girl Ilana’s (Ilana Glazer) on-again, off-again hookup. He’ll get his own pilot on the network sometime in the future as part of a multi-platform deal he signed last year. And while you may not recognize him, he’s co-starring as Crisco on FX’s new animated series, “Chozen.”

But as someone who constantly travels and seems to be popping up on stages and TV screens across the country, Buress admits both friends and fans forget how often he gets back to his hometown.

“I’m back here all the time,” Buress said, laughing. “But people are always like, ‘Man, Hannibal, when are you coming back, man?’ I come back once a month, sometimes twice. I’m always back here.”

sely@tribune.com | @theseanwow

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We asked Hannibal Buress 20 random questions to better get to know the comedian (video available at RedEyeChicago.com/Hannibal). Here are some of our favorites. S.E.

Favorite Chicago neighborhood?

“Logan Square, Wicker Park. I end up there a lot.”

One word to describe living in NYC?

Expensive.

If Hannibal Buress weren’t a comedian, he would be a …

Basketball coach.

Favorite restaurant in Chicago?

Diner Grill.

Have you taken a selfie this week?

“I take selfies but I don’t post [them]. My girlfriend is out of the country, so we send pictures, but I don’t post selfies. … There’s something about the angle that I hate.”

Do you think Miley Cyrus is a good kisser?

Yeah, I think so. I think she’s a good kisser. She talks about being on Molly and [bleep], so she probably gets down.

Hannibal Buress looks a lot like that guy from …

“The National Rental Car commercial. … Or also any black dude with glasses.”

If you were ordering Mayor Rahm Emanuel a drink at a bar, what would you order him?

“I would order him something that would knock him out and then I would take his phone and [bleeping] try to break the [parking] contracts.”

Who is your favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?

“Michaelangelo. Pizza, nunchucks, goofy. Yeah, I related to him. ... Did anyone ever bone April? Or no? She was just kicking it. She friendzoned the whole crew.”